To St. Johns County Commission: You have the power to declare a housing emergency and enact a one-year rent control ordinance. Our St. Johns County Commission has that power. F.S. 166.043.
Other Florida governments listen to renters
St. Johns County's Dull Republican Commissioners need to give that a try for a change, Raising oodles of dark money from secretive, feculent foreign-funded "developers", liquor and gambling interests, our incumbent St. Johns County Commissioners got a rude awakening with the defeat of one-term wonder Commissioner JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER by Krista Keating-Joseph. As Alexander Hamilton once said, "Here sir, the people govern."
See story by Government Watchdog reporter on new City of Naples ordinance on 60 day notice of rent control increases, from Naples Daily News:
City of Naples passes 60-day landlord notice before increase of rent
Rachel Heimann MercaderThe Naples City Council has passed an ordinance meant to give tenants a fair notice when their rent is about to increase.
The ordinance requires landlords give tenants a 60-day written notification prior to increasing rent by more than 5%. In addition, a 15-day notice must be given if the rent will increase more than 5% for leases with a term of 15 days or more but less than 60 days.
Violators would be subject to a fine of not more than $500.
The new law passed last week by a 6-1 vote, with council member Terry Hutchison voting no.
Earlier:Collier commissioners reject rent increase notice requirement for landlords
More:Naples considers 60-day landlord notice before increase of rent
In May, the ordinance passed on first reading by a 6-1 vote, with Hutchison voting against it. The ordinance was meant to pass on second reading in June, but city staff did not publish a proper notice for the meeting.
In June, Hutchison expressed doubt that the 60-day notice would be fair to landlords who may incur unexpected costs.
With the same ordinance failing so far in front of the Collier County Commission, the rest of the Naples council said they want to lead by example.
"I always look at it and say if not us then who? And we don't need to be following; we should, as the city of Naples, be leading," Vice Mayor Mike McCabe said at the meeting on Aug 17.
He added, "and I think that in affordable housing, we need to take initiatives that are stronger and more direct."
Similar ordinances in Miami-Dade County, Tampa and Lake Worth Beach
Similar ordinances have been passed this year in Miami-Dade County, Tampa, and Lake Worth Beach.
City Attorney Nancy Stuparich told council members that staff intends to create a handout to give to landlords informing them of what their responsibilities are under the new law. The city's code enforcement staff will be responsible for enforcing the ordinance through a complaint driven process.
Related:Collier residents discuss 60-day rental increase notice at emergency meeting
Housing news:Officials on the fence over proposed rent increase notification law
Elizabeth Radi said during public comment that she and the Collier Tenants Union plan to pressure the Collier Commission to reconsider the ordinance.
"Landlords don't see these tenants as human beings potentially losing their whole lives. It's business to them," Radi said during public comment. "So we can't count on them to choose to do the right thing."
In May, Collier commissioners voted to reject an ordinance despite an emergency meeting on the matter and passionate pleas from the public.
The ordinance first failed at the commission's May 10 meeting by a 3-2 vote, with commissioners Andy Solis, Bill McDaniel, and Rick LoCastro against its adoption and commissioners Penny Taylor and Burt Saunders in favor.
Commissioners agreed to reconsider a new version of the ordinance at its meeting on May 24, and LoCastro called a special meeting that included the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.
However, Saunders was out of the country and, therefore, not present at the May 24 meeting. A motion by Taylor to continue the vote to their next meeting in June failed. Solis and Taylor voted in favor, and LoCastro and McDaniel voted against the continuance.
Radi told the Naples Daily News that she hopes to get the Commission to reconsider the ordinance before Solis and Taylor leave office later this year.
Connect with Government Watchdog Reporter Rachel Heimann Mercader: @racheyy_marie (Twitter), rachel.heimann@naplesnews.com, or cell: 239-359-7948
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